Returning Player from Core GW2 (Solo PVE quester/explorer) , need help with Necro Build for HoT

Hello friends

Im returning player from Core GW2 , my mains are ranger , necro and guardian. Im currently trying to build for all 3 with purpose of entering HoT doing quests , story and map completion as solo player. I tried my core Condi Necro using Scepter+Dagger / Staff and minion master / curses , and promptly got plastered by HoT mobs.. Im looking at Power Build GS and full berserker gear.. My question : is the Power build GS (as linked below) a better choice for a solo adventurer roaming HoT ? i dont have Full Reaper opened though but im impressed with reaper GS power testing it on the Mist with golems..

https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Reaper_-_Power_Greatsword

Thanks all in advance for the advice

*PS : Below is me asking the question for my Rangerhttps://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/50468/returning-player-from-core-gw2-solo-pve-quester-explorer-need-help-with-ranger-build-core/p1?new=1

If you don't have full reaper opened yet, you may want to find a HP train and tag along with them to get enough points to fully unlock it. When HoT launched, I already had enough points saved up from Tyrian map completion to instantly unlock Reaper and never looked back.

As for the HoT mobs, it's not so much your build that will be the issue, but rather learning how to fight them effectively. Basic attack styles that plowed through Tyrian mobs often don't work as well against HoT mobs. Pick your battles carefully, and don't shy away form getting help. A lot of the hero challenges in HoT aren't intended to be solo'd.

If you don't have any elite just go with an Minion build. Get some cheap carrion gear ( use the search mask with the stats on the tp not carrion as word itself) camp on staff/zepter and dagger and let your minions wreck everything. While it's not the fastest build you can't die. Also don't use staff after you got reaper it's really crap in pve.

gw2skills.net/editor/?vRAQNAW7YjM0QbN2VDW2A7NOCGq4AEAlr8EShSYG17QOA-jRQoAAg6PAA-e

Powerreaper is a one man wrecking crew. When you got used to the mechanik nothing will stop you in the open world and you can do things solo wich not really meant to be done ^^

Thanks both of you Suntzu and Kalendraf , yeah i got rolled by a hero point mob champion and know for instant this is not going to be soloable.. lucky some HP are just commune style action no combat.. Will the diminishing players in HoT zone allow LFG Hero point zerg groups ? kinda annoying when the HoT content which designed for groups only now become stupidly hard to go thru due to less players around ..

currently on minion build like what Suntzu suggested, but i aimed to br Reaper with GS and Berzerker gear as soon as possible..

This is the Power Reaper build I use for Open World.... As a necro, you have a hand full of options of offset Crit chance via traits, which gives you the ability to invest into Vit for more HP and Shroud tanking. There are 2 version of this build, use the same gear set, and is cheap gear up. (75% Valks stat, 25% Berserker)

Minion Version (offers good passive tanking through Eff HP, Toughness and damage reduction, condition control via minions, and can heal through shroud)http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vRAQNAR3dnM0Adbit1Ae1As3glpBTaAUACAxfwU4LcqldBOWA-jBSBABEcEAWUJYR7P4wFBALlf4pbwS1fA4BAAA-e

Notes: uses Decimate defense, which grants crit chance against vulnerable foes per stack. Both of your weapons have a good way to apply 12 stacks at the start of combat, and should be used prior to going into Shroud. Vampiric Presence in Blood magic also lets you heal in shroud, which is 1 of only 2 abilities that allow this. Rise! minions take a portion of your incoming damage, and their numbers allow Flesh of the master's toughness bonus to really stand out; so its always best to try and get as many targets in range before using it. The cooldown also gets reduced with ever target hit with it, so always try to hit the max number possible (5) when using this skill. GreatSword 5 is a great tool for this, since you can pull a group into you, and hit them all with Rise. Also note that ambient mobs (rabbits, etc) all count as hits for this skill, can be used to trigger the minion summoning effect. You can even use clusters of ambient creatures to summon rise minions before engaging. Collectively the minions do decent damage; and you can exploit some targeting behaviors to engage 2 different targets at once.

This minion build is, by far, the cheapest of the Immortal builds- and can solo just about anything short of the most OP Hero point champs. And the more mob heavy a fight is, the more offensive power the build displays.

Soul Reaper version (Focuses on boosting Shroud damage and Shroud Uptime, and is for people who are more aggressive and hate minions)http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vRAQNAR3dnMbClbi12AubCs3glcBLeKuFHjQBgGwKgqMsGaWA-jBSBABYp8DgHAgDXEACOCAFt/Ae6GsU9nFVCCA-e

You can change out Flesh Golem if you really hate minions... but its impossible to beat the amount of Break Bar damage it does. You can also trade Spite out for Blood magic if you want the life leech (but will cost you easy might and damage modifiers).

many thanks @starlinvf.1358 for the explanation and build options..

@dprijadime.6795 said:Thanks both of you Suntzu and Kalendraf , yeah i got rolled by a hero point mob champion and know for instant this is not going to be soloable.. lucky some HP are just commune style action no combat.. Will the diminishing players in HoT zone allow LFG Hero point zerg groups ? kinda annoying when the HoT content which designed for groups only now become stupidly hard to go thru due to less players around ..

Using the LFG tool, you should still be able to find groups doing HoT content such as HP trains or meta events. HP trains are usually scheduled to avoid or minimize overlapping with meta events, so consult the timer sites to see when HoT metas are active to get an idea of when to check LFG for HP train or meta groups that may be on the HoT maps.

Depending on how much map completion & HPs you've got banked up from Tyria maps, it may be worth going back to the Tyria maps and getting some of the easier HPs, even if they only count for 1 point each. This is especially useful if you're sitting at something like 9 points and just need 1 more to unlock the next level in the specialization.

Furthermore, if you've earned any Proof of Heroics or Testimony of Heroics (WvW rewards), you can use those to unlock random HPs (costs 1 for a Tyrian HP, 10 for a Maguuma HP). However, I'd only recommend doing that after completing the easy ones first if you can to maximize their usefulness.

@"dprijadime.6795" said:Hello friends

Im returning player from Core GW2 , my mains are ranger , necro and guardian. Im currently trying to build for all 3 with purpose of entering HoT doing quests , story and map completion as solo player. I tried my core Condi Necro using Scepter+Dagger / Staff and minion master / curses , and promptly got plastered by HoT mobs.. Im looking at Power Build GS and full berserker gear.. My question : is the Power build GS (as linked below) a better choice for a solo adventurer roaming HoT ? i dont have Full Reaper opened though but im impressed with reaper GS power testing it on the Mist with golems..

https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Reaper_-_Power_Greatsword

Thanks all in advance for the advice

*PS : Below is me asking the question for my Rangerhttps://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/50468/returning-player-from-core-gw2-solo-pve-quester-explorer-need-help-with-ranger-build-core/p1?new=1

the meta battle build is already okay. and a very good start.

adjust some traits and skills to solo play, as it fits. e.g:chilled to the bone instead of the golem ((if)you've got shouts traited, why not use it)a stunbreak is always good. if you want to run the blood magic version, you can use well of power instead of the shout. spectral armor is the second alternative (and a way to keep up your shroud, just use it before entering shroud, while facing multiple oopponents).the signet is for maximizing dps (fractals), replace it with whatever you feel fits for HoT maps and events ("rise" for defense, again if you've got shouts traited; shadow fiend for more chill and more vulnerability and more blinds; a second stunbreak; anything you like).i would recommend to keep the axe+warhorn too, since warhorn 5 is a big plus to your shroud-upkeep (unless you have the new legendary focus ...sometimes fashion wins!). if you want to go for the big events with loads of mobs to tag quick, only then switch it to staff.

now a thing, that i do not 'recommend':valkyrie stats. sorry @starlinvf.1358they used to be our best dps option possible (+rune of the wurm) and added a huge amount of health, but since the food changes it lacks the damage, compared to berserker.the sharpening stones scale with precision now - they used to scale with vit and toughness. so you want to have precision to boost your power furtheryes you will be overcapping crit with berserker, but that is only an "issue" in groups. and even there it is not really an issue, since vuln uptime is not 100% from the beginning and you gain around 100 power.health shouldnt be an issue either. if you are like me and love somewhat even numbers, you can go with berserkers + valkyrie as trinkets only. that way you end up with 20112 health and you lose only 15power compared to full zerker.

berserker is also good, when you want to run pve like fractals at some point, it is already optimized for that content and you dont need a second set (scholar rune then too).now another plus to berserker is, that you can switch out decimate defense for soul eater (GS cd reduction and passive heals) or chilling victory for even more shroud uptime, since hitting a chilled enemy grants might and 1%LF.crit-chance without decimate defense can be increased by food or sigils too, so you could run the heal shout and "spiteful renewal" for even more and longer shroud bursts.

last but not least, try the different options and see what fits your playstyle and experience the best.focusing on efficient builds is good. but what is a meta build, when you dont have the requirements (like a group for fury, stability, aegis, stunbreaks, vuln uptime) - hence valkyrie and other traits would work too, but you should know its downsides when/if youwant to optimize later.

cheers

We both know you're not sorry, and I never said Valks was top DPS, and I purposely ignored food because its a budget build. And frankly I'm a little hurt now that you could had just stated the build and explained it, but decided to throw me under a bus instead to help talk about how much more optimal your build is. Not even a natural D20 could save against that betrayal.